Salmon farmers are rolling out the welcome mat for the new fisheries minister.
Diane Lebouthillier replaced Joyce Murray this week as Minister for Fisheries and Oceans and the Coast Guard, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled the federal cabinet.
Brian Kingzett, executive director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association, says the industry appreciates the “appointment of a Minister that understands the opportunities and challenges of resource-based communities, especially in relation to the federal salmon farming Transition Plan.”
Now they are hoping to meet with her to discuss the industry’s uncertain future in BC. The government pledged to shut down Discovery Islands farms this summer but extended consultations about moving the industry out of the ocean until this fall, while a transition plan is developed.
“We are ready to meet with Minister Lebouthillier, along with our members and the First Nations whose territories we operate in, to learn more about the sector and the role of salmon farming in supporting poverty reduction, economic growth and sustainable food production in BC,” says Kingzett. “We look forward to learning more about our new Minister, her vision, and how we can align.”
